Filing tray



May 3 1927.

1,626,898 N. s. WELK FILING TRAY Filed Sept. 19. 1925 6 16 INVENTORATTORNEY'S Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES NELSON S. WELK, OF ATHENS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOBEEBINDER 00., OF ATHENS,

PATENT OFFICE.

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

" FILING TRAY.

Application filed September 19, 1925. Serial No. 57,300.

My invention relates to the art of filing devices, particularly to suchas are adapted for receiving cards, letters, sheets, and the like, andretaining them, under releasable compression, in a tray or cabinet. 7

The object of my invention is toprovide a cabinet, or tray, for thispurpose, with one longitudinal side constructed for lowering, while theoperator is examining certain of the contents of the tray, the sald sidebeing adapted to be locked in position to receivethe top of the cabinet,so that when the tray, or cabinet, is placed away, it will be a compactbox containing the sheets filed therein.

Another object is to produce a tray, or'

cabinet, as above set forth, with a removable top, which top when inposition on the tray may be locked firmly, so as to protect thecontentsof the tray.

My invention consists of certain details of construction,hereinafter setforth, polnted out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a side elevation view, partially insection, of my tray;

Fig. 2 shows a front elevation vlew of the same, the swinging side beingshown at a lowered position, and a part of the upper portion of the traybeing broken away.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the reference numeral 10 is usedto indicate the base, or body portion of my tray, formed with twolongitudinal side walls, end walls and bottom. Thus far, theconstruction does not differ from the ordinary make of trays.

On one longitudinal side, I have provided a hinged door 11 which extendspractically the full length of the tray, this door being hinged, as at12, longitudinally, so that 1t may swing downwardly and depend from thehinge. This door 11, when closed, forms a component part of the sidewall of my tray. The numeral 13 indicates a sliding lock rod, its endsdepending downwardly at 14c and 15, as shown, this rod being slidablymounted in keepers 16 secured at the outer surface of the door 11. Theside wall adjacent the ends of the door is provided with looking members17 secured thereto, the upper ends of said locking members being spacedfrom the side wall to receive the ends 14 and 15, respectively, of thesliding lock rod 13.

The construction is such that when the lock rod 13 is in the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 1, the ends 14 and 15 are seated in thelocking members 17 and retain the door in its elevated position. Whenthe lock rod is moved to the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig.1, the ends 14 and 15 are released from the locking members 17 and thispermits the door to swing outwardly and downwardly on its hinge, asshown in Fig. 2. The locking members 17 are, obviously, open on one sideto permit the sliding rod to be withdrawn from'contact with them whenmoved to the position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Around the side walls, and on the door 11 which forms a part of one ofthe side walls, I have formed a shoulder 18, designed to receive thelower edge of the cover 19 of the tray and forms a rest therefor.Projecting above the upper end of the rear end wall, I have provided ahook member 20- designed to receive a companion hook member 21 of thetray cover, the construction being such that when the forward end of thetray cover is elevated, the cover may be pushedrearwardly and the member21 removed from the member 20 and the cover may be lifted and removedentirely from the base portion of the tray.

I have also provided locking means for the forward part of the cover, sothat when the cover is in position, it may be locked to the base so asto protect the contents of the tray. The locking means is in no sensenew and is simply designated in the drawings diagrammatically, as shownat 22.

In practical operation, the tray containing filed papers, if theoperator wishes to locate and inspect some certain paper, he removes thecover of the tray 19, slides the rod 13 rearwardly, and this permits thedoor 11 to drop to its lowered position, thereby removing the greaterportion of one side of the tray and making it possible for the operatorto inspect any sheet filed in the tray,

nearly to the bottom of the sheet. When the operator is throughinspecting the contents of the tray, he closes the door 11 and locks itin position in the manner shown, places the cover on the tray and locksit, and the contents are then carefully preserved.

Having thus described my invention What i I claim and desire to secureby Letters Pat-' ent of the United States is:

1. A filing tray, with one side wall,

of the side wall; a shoulder formed on thetray to receive and support acover; means to lock the cover in position.

2. A filing tray comprising a lower section and an upper section, thelower section being formed with side walls and end walls, and a base;one of said side walls comprising a hinged section, formed to swingoutwardly and downwardly from its hinge means to lock the hinged sectionin normal position, as a part of the side wall; means to lock the uppersection in position on the lower section.

3. In a filing tray, a lower section formed with a base, side walls andend walls; one of said side walls comprising a hinged section; a rodmounted for slidable movement in said section; means whereby the slidingmovement: of the rod will lock and unlock the hinged portion toits sidewall, substantially as shown and described.

l. A filing tray, comprising a lower section and an upper section, thelower section being formed of end walls, side walls, and a base; ahinged portion extending substantially the full length of the same, andhinged for outward and downward movement from its mounting; a rodmounted for slidable movement in said hinged portion, said rod havingmeans on each end for locking the portion to the side wall, and means onthe side wall to coact with the locking means on the rod, theconstruction being such that when, the rod is at its limit of movementin one direction, the hinged portion will be locked to the side wall,and when the rod is at its other limit of movement, the hinged portionwill.- be unlocked so that it may be swingingly dropped from itsmounting, substantially as shown and described.

5. A filing tray, comprising an upper and alower section, the lowersection being formed of end walls, side walls and a base; one of saidside walls comprising a cut-out portion, extending substantially thefull length thereof, said cut-out portion bein hinged longitudinally inthe side wall, and forming a part thereof; means to lock the cut-outportion in normal position as a part of the side wall, and means torelease it so that it may be swung downwardly from its mounting,substantially as shown and described;

6. A filing tray, comprising an upper and a lower section, the lowersection being formed of end walls, side walls and a base; one of saidside walls comprising a cut-out portion, extending substantially thefull length thereof, said cut-out portion being hinged longitudinally inthe side wall, and forming a part thereof; means to lock the cut-outportion in normal position as a part of the side wall, and means torelease it so that it may be swung downwardly from its mounting, a hooksecured to the rear end wall and projecting above the same; means on thecover to mate with the said hook; means to lock the cover to the base,substantially as shown and described.

NELSON S. WELK.

